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house_of_hannah's reviews
257 reviews
Phaedra by Laura Shepperson
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Thank you so much to Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC; it is greatly appreciated.
I actually did not realize this is considered an adult book until after I finished it. Based on the writing this 100% comes off as YA. Re-reading the description of the book, I definitely see why this would be considered adult, but I feel that the description gives false expectations for the book. Saying that Phaedra, "sparks an overdue reckoning" is misleading, as the very opposite happens...and then the book ends.
I was really looking forward to reading a story from Phaedra's POV, but instead we must also read the POV's of a multitude of other characters. Out of 56 chapters in this book, only 17 are Phaedra. There are characters that really added nothing to the story, and I found myself bored while waiting for it to return to Phaedra's point-of-view.
Speaking of the cast of the characters, everyone comes off as quite one-dimensional. We are only ever shown one aspect of their personality, so everytime that character pops up that is the only thing ever discussed about them. For Phaedra it's painting, Hippolytus is riding horses, Theseus is democracy, Medea her children, etc. We never really explore deeper as to who these characters are.
Unfortunately, I also found the plot to be lacking. Once Phaedra is in Athens she rarely leaves her rooms, so huge amounts of time pass by without anything happening. A good majority of the book is simply conversations that Phaedra has with a few characters in her bedroom. As the book revolves around one event, there isn't anything else that happens that is really of any interest.
Which brings me to the main topic of this story: rape. The description of this book makes it seem like the oppressed women are going to be heard, and perhaps get some justice, but that doesn't happen. Almost every page of this book talks about the brutalization of women. Every man is a rapist, and every woman has been raped. I was expecting some sort of uprising, or mass court hearing where women were going to tell their stories, be heard, and gain back some power for themselves. Yet Phaedra is the only one to speak. The other women remain nameless voices in the night.
With how this book ends I honestly do not understand the purpose of it. I get that this is a Greek tragedy, but with minimal plot and no character growth I am struggling to care. We simply stayed surface level on a topic that should have been delved into so much deeper. There were sparks in the beginning that led me to believe we would be heading for some serious and well needed discussions, but it just never happened.
Here are those quotes:
"It was not until ten summers later, when Theseus was to come to Crete, seeking power beyond what we could give him, that I was to learn the truth: that any man can throw words up into the air, and it is women who must pay when those words land."
"I know that history will judge me, but history is written by men."
Such promise ! Overall this is an unsatisfying story that really should have gone all in if it was going to deal with such a serious topic. I was looking for Phaedra's perspective in a feminist retelling, but instead got multiple perspectives on how large and annoying a table was.
I actually did not realize this is considered an adult book until after I finished it. Based on the writing this 100% comes off as YA. Re-reading the description of the book, I definitely see why this would be considered adult, but I feel that the description gives false expectations for the book. Saying that Phaedra, "sparks an overdue reckoning" is misleading, as the very opposite happens...and then the book ends.
I was really looking forward to reading a story from Phaedra's POV, but instead we must also read the POV's of a multitude of other characters. Out of 56 chapters in this book, only 17 are Phaedra. There are characters that really added nothing to the story, and I found myself bored while waiting for it to return to Phaedra's point-of-view.
Speaking of the cast of the characters, everyone comes off as quite one-dimensional. We are only ever shown one aspect of their personality, so everytime that character pops up that is the only thing ever discussed about them. For Phaedra it's painting, Hippolytus is riding horses, Theseus is democracy, Medea her children, etc. We never really explore deeper as to who these characters are.
Unfortunately, I also found the plot to be lacking. Once Phaedra is in Athens she rarely leaves her rooms, so huge amounts of time pass by without anything happening. A good majority of the book is simply conversations that Phaedra has with a few characters in her bedroom. As the book revolves around one event, there isn't anything else that happens that is really of any interest.
Which brings me to the main topic of this story: rape. The description of this book makes it seem like the oppressed women are going to be heard, and perhaps get some justice, but that doesn't happen. Almost every page of this book talks about the brutalization of women. Every man is a rapist, and every woman has been raped. I was expecting some sort of uprising, or mass court hearing where women were going to tell their stories, be heard, and gain back some power for themselves. Yet Phaedra is the only one to speak. The other women remain nameless voices in the night.
With how this book ends I honestly do not understand the purpose of it. I get that this is a Greek tragedy, but with minimal plot and no character growth I am struggling to care. We simply stayed surface level on a topic that should have been delved into so much deeper. There were sparks in the beginning that led me to believe we would be heading for some serious and well needed discussions, but it just never happened.
Here are those quotes:
"It was not until ten summers later, when Theseus was to come to Crete, seeking power beyond what we could give him, that I was to learn the truth: that any man can throw words up into the air, and it is women who must pay when those words land."
"I know that history will judge me, but history is written by men."
Such promise ! Overall this is an unsatisfying story that really should have gone all in if it was going to deal with such a serious topic. I was looking for Phaedra's perspective in a feminist retelling, but instead got multiple perspectives on how large and annoying a table was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Child death, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Grief, Incest, and Confinement
Minor: Xenophobia, Slavery, Abortion, War, Vomit, and Pedophilia
Frankenstein: The 1818 Text by Mary Shelley
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
I have finally read this classic ! It's definitely one I've thought about picking up for years, but for some reason just never did until now. During the pandemic I actually watched a play of this that the National Theatre (I believe that's who did it) streamed on YouTube, and it's quite faithful to the book.
There were a few scenes in here that were different from what I was expecting. There really is no detail on how Frankenstein created his monster. The entire process is just a few paragraphs, where a lot of adaptations hone in on this aspect of the story. There is quite a lot of detail put into describing certain things, but what you would think are the most important parts are simply glossed over, and not explored in depth. I do believe this takes away from the horror of the story, as we don't get to experience Victor's process.
Oh boy, Victor. He came off as extremely whiny in the end, and I was surprised that he was not able to handle anything happening around him considering what he had to do to create the monster.Also, what the hell was up with how he behaved on the wedding night !? He knew the creature had killed two people (3 if you count Justine) close to him, yet he thought he wouldn't touch Elizabeth ? There was no reason for him to think this, and it made him seem quite stupid to not be worried about leaving her alone.
I know the creature himself is a victim, but the scene where he makes his request to Victor made him sound like an incel. No one is entitled to having a woman. No one is entitled to sex. I get that he is the only one of his "kind", and wanted companionship, but you know he would have been pissed if Victor made another man.
My review probably makes it seem like I didn't enjoy this book, but I promise I did ! I quite enjoyed the writing, and how quickly we would jump in the timeline. I could feel Victor's paranoia, and the creature's anguish. They were both very flawed characters, which makes this a book where there really is no one to root for, but is very fitting for the story. Overall I'm between a 3 and a 4 for this one, but I think I'll keep it at a 4 for now.
There were a few scenes in here that were different from what I was expecting. There really is no detail on how Frankenstein created his monster. The entire process is just a few paragraphs, where a lot of adaptations hone in on this aspect of the story. There is quite a lot of detail put into describing certain things, but what you would think are the most important parts are simply glossed over, and not explored in depth. I do believe this takes away from the horror of the story, as we don't get to experience Victor's process.
Oh boy, Victor. He came off as extremely whiny in the end, and I was surprised that he was not able to handle anything happening around him considering what he had to do to create the monster.
I know the creature himself is a victim, but the scene where he makes his request to Victor made him sound like an incel. No one is entitled to having a woman. No one is entitled to sex. I get that he is the only one of his "kind", and wanted companionship, but you know he would have been pissed if Victor made another man.
My review probably makes it seem like I didn't enjoy this book, but I promise I did ! I quite enjoyed the writing, and how quickly we would jump in the timeline. I could feel Victor's paranoia, and the creature's anguish. They were both very flawed characters, which makes this a book where there really is no one to root for, but is very fitting for the story. Overall I'm between a 3 and a 4 for this one, but I think I'll keep it at a 4 for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Child death, Grief, and Murder
Haunted Castles: The Complete Gothic Stories by Ray Russell
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
I am not sure why this collection is titled "Haunted Castles". Only a few of the stories take place in a castle, and there are no ghosts to be seen here. I find it a bit misleading, and I think they simply should have gone with "The Complete Gothic Stories".
This is a very readable collection, and I am astonished that I have never heard of this author before. His style changes to suit the story, so it doesn't feel like this is all the work of one author. Each story is quite unique compared to the others, so there is a good variety that prevents the stories from feeling stale.
The following are each story in this collection, a short summary, and the rating I gave that individual story.
Sardonicus (1961) - A man receives an invitation from a woman he was in love with in his youth. She invites him to the castle she shares with her husband, Mr. Sardonicus. He realizes this is more than a friendly visit when Sardonicus’s true intentions are revealed. 4 Stars
Sagittarius (1962) - An elderly man tells a story from his youth. When he was new to Paris he became obsessed with two actors: One a handsome gentleman that could do no wrong, and the other a bitter, disfigured man, who was very aggressive towards people. He soon realizes that there is more that connects these two actors than just their profession. 5 Stars
Sanguinarius (1967) - A retelling of the story of Elizabeth Báthory, but from her point-of-view. Mixes the legend with the facts, and gives it a new twist. 3 Stars
Comet Wine (1967) - A man tries to find information about a Russian composer, but can only find evidence of his existence in letters written between a Lord and his friend from the mid-1800s. 4 Stars
The Runaway Lovers (1967) - A Lord throws his wife and her lover in the dungeons to be tortured over 7 days. One day for each sin. 2 Stars
The Vendetta (1969) - Alternate title: The Man Who Spoke in Rhyme - A brother and sister live in a palazzo in Italy. The sister is known for her beauty, which draws suitors from all over, but the brother denies anyone a chance at marriage to his sister. When she questions him he simply replies with a riddle about blood. 4 Stars
The Cage (1959) - A woman has an affair with an employee of her husband’s that people refer to as the Devil. Going along with the rumors she requests from him something that only the real Devil could provide. 4 Stars
Averaging the ratings gives us a 3.71. I think most horror lovers would enjoy these stories, especially those who like twisty stories where you might not fully know what's going on until the end.
This is a very readable collection, and I am astonished that I have never heard of this author before. His style changes to suit the story, so it doesn't feel like this is all the work of one author. Each story is quite unique compared to the others, so there is a good variety that prevents the stories from feeling stale.
The following are each story in this collection, a short summary, and the rating I gave that individual story.
Sardonicus (1961) - A man receives an invitation from a woman he was in love with in his youth. She invites him to the castle she shares with her husband, Mr. Sardonicus. He realizes this is more than a friendly visit when Sardonicus’s true intentions are revealed. 4 Stars
Sagittarius (1962) - An elderly man tells a story from his youth. When he was new to Paris he became obsessed with two actors: One a handsome gentleman that could do no wrong, and the other a bitter, disfigured man, who was very aggressive towards people. He soon realizes that there is more that connects these two actors than just their profession. 5 Stars
Sanguinarius (1967) - A retelling of the story of Elizabeth Báthory, but from her point-of-view. Mixes the legend with the facts, and gives it a new twist. 3 Stars
Comet Wine (1967) - A man tries to find information about a Russian composer, but can only find evidence of his existence in letters written between a Lord and his friend from the mid-1800s. 4 Stars
The Runaway Lovers (1967) - A Lord throws his wife and her lover in the dungeons to be tortured over 7 days. One day for each sin. 2 Stars
The Vendetta (1969) - Alternate title: The Man Who Spoke in Rhyme - A brother and sister live in a palazzo in Italy. The sister is known for her beauty, which draws suitors from all over, but the brother denies anyone a chance at marriage to his sister. When she questions him he simply replies with a riddle about blood. 4 Stars
The Cage (1959) - A woman has an affair with an employee of her husband’s that people refer to as the Devil. Going along with the rumors she requests from him something that only the real Devil could provide. 4 Stars
Averaging the ratings gives us a 3.71. I think most horror lovers would enjoy these stories, especially those who like twisty stories where you might not fully know what's going on until the end.
Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is a bit of a rollercoaster. I absolutely do not care about the first 100 pages, and found it to be quite boring and cliché. I was not expecting to be 1/3 of the way into the story before anything happens. But when it does the story absolutely takes off.
I was quite invested in the next 100 pages of the book. The murders were just stacking up one after another. I did not realize going into this that everything happens in just one night, so we jump from 0 to 100 instantly. For that last 1/3 though it just started to go downhill again. After we start having some reveals I'm just left thinking, "Really ? This is what we're going with ?".
When the plan is all laid out for us it's actually laughable. The culprits are truly some of the dumbest antagonists I've ever come across, and honestly, I think that's done on purpose.It truly felt like a repeat of the January 6th insurrection at the US capitol, down to the fact that people were caught because of their phone's GPS.
The only likable characters here are Quinn's dad, and maayyyybe Quinn herself. I find her to just mainly be an observer though; almost like a self insert for the reader or something. She never really has a chance to show her personality, so we never get to know her.
Essentially this book iswhat would happen if you were trapped in a town where the MAGA crowd was murdering teens who annoyed them. AKA my worst nightmare.
Overall this is a book where I greatly enjoyed the parts that were good, but really disliked the parts that weren't. I will probably skip the sequel.
I was quite invested in the next 100 pages of the book. The murders were just stacking up one after another. I did not realize going into this that everything happens in just one night, so we jump from 0 to 100 instantly. For that last 1/3 though it just started to go downhill again. After we start having some reveals I'm just left thinking, "Really ? This is what we're going with ?".
When the plan is all laid out for us it's actually laughable. The culprits are truly some of the dumbest antagonists I've ever come across, and honestly, I think that's done on purpose.
The only likable characters here are Quinn's dad, and maayyyybe Quinn herself. I find her to just mainly be an observer though; almost like a self insert for the reader or something. She never really has a chance to show her personality, so we never get to know her.
Essentially this book is
Overall this is a book where I greatly enjoyed the parts that were good, but really disliked the parts that weren't. I will probably skip the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Death, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Cursing
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit
Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories by Roald Dahl
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
The story behind why this novel came to be is more interesting than some of the ghost stories in here. Roald Dahl read over 700 ghost stories in trying to find the top 24 for a new TV show he was to be involved in. Unfortunately, they chose poorly for the pilot episode, so the series was cancelled before it even began. Thus he put 14 of those stories into this collection.
These are seemingly not in any order, and are not chronological. I highly recommend reading the introduction to this one; it's quite funny actually. There are no spoilers in the intro either. I had only heard/read of one of these authors before, Sheridan Le Fanu, which I am actually glad of, as I get to be exposed to new authors I wouldn't have otherwise.
The following is a little description of each story, the year it was written or published, and my rating.
W.S. by L. P. Hartley (written 1954, 1973 published posthumously) - An author receives increasingly alarming postcards from an individual with the same initials as him. 3.5 Stars
Harry by Rosemary Timperley (1955) - A couple adopts a baby whose past is unknown to them. When the little girl is 5 years old she starts talking to a person that only she can see named Harry. 4 Stars
The Corner Shop by Cynthia Asquith (1926) - A man’s luck changes when he purchases a cheap trinket from a corner shop that ends up being worth money. Questions arise though when he tries to share the money with the man who sold him the trinket. 5 Stars
In the Tube by E. F. Benson (1923 UK, 1924 US) - A man sees a figure while taking the last train home that disappears from one moment to the next. When he meets the man in the flesh the next day his confusion grows as he wonders the cause. 3 Stars
Christmas Meeting by Rosemary Timperley (1952) - A woman reminisces about past Christmases, as she is spending this one alone, when a strange man walks into the room. 5 Stars
Elias and the Draug by Jonas Lie (1902) - A man injures a creature that lies in wait to enact its revenge. This is more of a creature story than anything. 2 Stars
Playmates by A.M. Burrage (1927) - An old man adopts a girl after her father passes away. He wishes to conduct an experiment where the girl does not go to school, or interacts with other children, and instead receives her education from what she picks out in the home library. After they move to a new house the girl starts talking and playing with what everyone thinks are 7 imaginary friends. 3.5 Stars
Ringing the Changes by Robert Aickman (1964) - A newlywed couple with a 24 year age gap honeymoon in a town neither of them has been to before. The entire night they are there the church bells will not stop ringing. 2 Stars
The Telephone by Mary Treadgold (1955) - A man’s wife leaves him whe she discovers his infidelity. Shortly after he marries his mistress, his first wife dies. Then they begin to receive mysterious phone calls from the house that man used to live in with his first wife. 2 Stars
The Ghost of a Hand by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1861) - Essentially what would happen if Thing from the Addam’s Family decided to terrorize a family. 2.5 Stars
The Sweeper by A. M. Burrage (1931) - A young woman is employed to be the companion of an old woman. One evening in autumn she hears the sounds of sweeping on the path outside. When she investigates she comes face to face with a man who she realizes is transparent. 4 Stars
Afterward by Edith Wharton (1902) - A couple moves into a home that is supposedly haunted, but everyone says you won’t realize you saw a ghost until long afterward. 3 Stars
On the Brighton Road by Richard Middleton (1912) - A man wakes up buried in snow on the side of a road. As he walks down the road he meets a boy who poses the question, “How do you know you aren’t dead?” 4 Stars
The Upper Berth by F. Marion Crawford (1885) - A man boards a ship to cross the Atlantic. Thinking that he is rooming alone, he is surprised to see another man’s things when he goes to bed for the night. By morning though, the second man has disappeared, and the porthole is open. That is when he finds out that for the past 3 trips (now 4th), someone who has slept in that room has jumped overboard. 3 Stars
Averaging all the scores comes out to a 3.3, which is quite normal for a short story collection. I think it provides the ghostly vibes quite well, and is perfect for this time of year.
These are seemingly not in any order, and are not chronological. I highly recommend reading the introduction to this one; it's quite funny actually. There are no spoilers in the intro either. I had only heard/read of one of these authors before, Sheridan Le Fanu, which I am actually glad of, as I get to be exposed to new authors I wouldn't have otherwise.
The following is a little description of each story, the year it was written or published, and my rating.
W.S. by L. P. Hartley (written 1954, 1973 published posthumously) - An author receives increasingly alarming postcards from an individual with the same initials as him. 3.5 Stars
Harry by Rosemary Timperley (1955) - A couple adopts a baby whose past is unknown to them. When the little girl is 5 years old she starts talking to a person that only she can see named Harry. 4 Stars
The Corner Shop by Cynthia Asquith (1926) - A man’s luck changes when he purchases a cheap trinket from a corner shop that ends up being worth money. Questions arise though when he tries to share the money with the man who sold him the trinket. 5 Stars
In the Tube by E. F. Benson (1923 UK, 1924 US) - A man sees a figure while taking the last train home that disappears from one moment to the next. When he meets the man in the flesh the next day his confusion grows as he wonders the cause. 3 Stars
Christmas Meeting by Rosemary Timperley (1952) - A woman reminisces about past Christmases, as she is spending this one alone, when a strange man walks into the room. 5 Stars
Elias and the Draug by Jonas Lie (1902) - A man injures a creature that lies in wait to enact its revenge. This is more of a creature story than anything. 2 Stars
Playmates by A.M. Burrage (1927) - An old man adopts a girl after her father passes away. He wishes to conduct an experiment where the girl does not go to school, or interacts with other children, and instead receives her education from what she picks out in the home library. After they move to a new house the girl starts talking and playing with what everyone thinks are 7 imaginary friends. 3.5 Stars
Ringing the Changes by Robert Aickman (1964) - A newlywed couple with a 24 year age gap honeymoon in a town neither of them has been to before. The entire night they are there the church bells will not stop ringing. 2 Stars
The Telephone by Mary Treadgold (1955) - A man’s wife leaves him whe she discovers his infidelity. Shortly after he marries his mistress, his first wife dies. Then they begin to receive mysterious phone calls from the house that man used to live in with his first wife. 2 Stars
The Ghost of a Hand by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1861) - Essentially what would happen if Thing from the Addam’s Family decided to terrorize a family. 2.5 Stars
The Sweeper by A. M. Burrage (1931) - A young woman is employed to be the companion of an old woman. One evening in autumn she hears the sounds of sweeping on the path outside. When she investigates she comes face to face with a man who she realizes is transparent. 4 Stars
Afterward by Edith Wharton (1902) - A couple moves into a home that is supposedly haunted, but everyone says you won’t realize you saw a ghost until long afterward. 3 Stars
On the Brighton Road by Richard Middleton (1912) - A man wakes up buried in snow on the side of a road. As he walks down the road he meets a boy who poses the question, “How do you know you aren’t dead?” 4 Stars
The Upper Berth by F. Marion Crawford (1885) - A man boards a ship to cross the Atlantic. Thinking that he is rooming alone, he is surprised to see another man’s things when he goes to bed for the night. By morning though, the second man has disappeared, and the porthole is open. That is when he finds out that for the past 3 trips (now 4th), someone who has slept in that room has jumped overboard. 3 Stars
Averaging all the scores comes out to a 3.3, which is quite normal for a short story collection. I think it provides the ghostly vibes quite well, and is perfect for this time of year.
The Dark Between The Trees by Fiona Barnett
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you so much to Rebellion Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC; it is greatly appreciated.
I am always down for any horror that takes place in the woods, and for a majority of the story this book delivered. I truly thought I was going to give this 4 stars...and then the ending happened. There was such an amazing buildup of tension, questions, and madness, just for all of that to take a nosedive at the end. None of the things I was looking forward to discovering were answered. Nothing that I was interested in mattered.
Be aware going into this that it's a slow moving story. This is written in a dual timeline with alternating chapters. Both groups of people experience the same things, which attributes to the slow feeling, and for some might seem quite repetitive. However, the story really hooked me in, and I needed to know what was going on. (Although that doesn't really get answered in the end)
One thing I ended up having an issue with was telling the women apart. They are only a group of five, but I could only ever differentiate Nuria and Alice. Kim, Sue, and Helly just ended up seeming like the same character to me. I didn't have this issue with the group of soldiers, and there were a lot more of them in their group. I don't believe I've encountered this before, and I am not sure why.
The writing is ok here. I found several words being repeated quite a bit. Not enough to be distracting, but enough for me to notice it. We spend a lot of time in the character's heads, and I think the author did a good job at showing the buildup of fear among the groups, which is one of my favorite aspects of the story. Their fear is quite tangible.
Overall I enjoyed the ride, but the destination was far too abrupt for me. I'm curious though to see what this author writes next.
I am always down for any horror that takes place in the woods, and for a majority of the story this book delivered. I truly thought I was going to give this 4 stars...and then the ending happened. There was such an amazing buildup of tension, questions, and madness, just for all of that to take a nosedive at the end. None of the things I was looking forward to discovering were answered. Nothing that I was interested in mattered.
Be aware going into this that it's a slow moving story. This is written in a dual timeline with alternating chapters. Both groups of people experience the same things, which attributes to the slow feeling, and for some might seem quite repetitive. However, the story really hooked me in, and I needed to know what was going on. (Although that doesn't really get answered in the end)
One thing I ended up having an issue with was telling the women apart. They are only a group of five, but I could only ever differentiate Nuria and Alice. Kim, Sue, and Helly just ended up seeming like the same character to me. I didn't have this issue with the group of soldiers, and there were a lot more of them in their group. I don't believe I've encountered this before, and I am not sure why.
The writing is ok here. I found several words being repeated quite a bit. Not enough to be distracting, but enough for me to notice it. We spend a lot of time in the character's heads, and I think the author did a good job at showing the buildup of fear among the groups, which is one of my favorite aspects of the story. Their fear is quite tangible.
Overall I enjoyed the ride, but the destination was far too abrupt for me. I'm curious though to see what this author writes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Animal death, Blood, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit and Religious bigotry
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Ghost Stories of Henry James by Henry James
challenging
slow-paced
2.0
DNF. I read 6 out of 10 of the short stories, but just could not bring myself to read anymore. I can officially say that I am not a fan of Henry James's writing. It honestly blows me away that he's considered one of the greatest novelists, as his style is incredibly dull. The amount of dashes, commas, and semicolons in his sentences are astonishing. It's like he takes the roughest path to get to a destination.
The following are the stories I read, a short summary of them, plus my rating.
The Romance of Certain Old Clothes (1868) - Two sisters vie for the attention of their brother’s friend. When he proposes to the older sister, the younger one bides her time until she can make her move. 2 Stars
The Ghostly Rental (1876) - A man encounters a seemingly abandoned house while taking a shortcut on his way home. Assuming it to be haunted, he becomes enthralled with learning its history. 3 Stars
Sir Edmund Orme (1891) - A woman is haunted by a ghost of her past that is apparently attached to her daughter. When a suitor falls in love with her he, too, can see the ghost. 1 Star
The Private Life (1892) - In a group of elites a man claims that one of them has a double, while a woman claims that one of them is not quite whole. 2 Stars
The Turn of the Screw (1898) - Read this back in 2019. 2 Stars
The Real Right Thing (1899) - A biographer takes on a job to write about a widow’s husband. As he goes through the late husband’s things he feels his presence, which he finds comforting at first, but might be more malicious than he expects. 2 Stars
My average rating for this is 2 stars, but for how dry his writing is it feels like it should be a 1 star. This felt like it was written by someone who thinks they are the smartest person in the room. I picked it up for ghost stories, but instead got no tension, nothing remotely spooky, and barely any ghosts. 100% not for me.
The following are the stories I read, a short summary of them, plus my rating.
The Romance of Certain Old Clothes (1868) - Two sisters vie for the attention of their brother’s friend. When he proposes to the older sister, the younger one bides her time until she can make her move. 2 Stars
The Ghostly Rental (1876) - A man encounters a seemingly abandoned house while taking a shortcut on his way home. Assuming it to be haunted, he becomes enthralled with learning its history. 3 Stars
Sir Edmund Orme (1891) - A woman is haunted by a ghost of her past that is apparently attached to her daughter. When a suitor falls in love with her he, too, can see the ghost. 1 Star
The Private Life (1892) - In a group of elites a man claims that one of them has a double, while a woman claims that one of them is not quite whole. 2 Stars
The Turn of the Screw (1898) - Read this back in 2019. 2 Stars
The Real Right Thing (1899) - A biographer takes on a job to write about a widow’s husband. As he goes through the late husband’s things he feels his presence, which he finds comforting at first, but might be more malicious than he expects. 2 Stars
My average rating for this is 2 stars, but for how dry his writing is it feels like it should be a 1 star. This felt like it was written by someone who thinks they are the smartest person in the room. I picked it up for ghost stories, but instead got no tension, nothing remotely spooky, and barely any ghosts. 100% not for me.
The Gothic Tales of H. P. Lovecraft by Xavier Aldana Reyes, H.P. Lovecraft
The Haunter of the Dark (1935) - A man is fascinated with an abandoned church that holds a treasure trove of dark secrets. 2 Stars
As you can see none of my descriptions mention women. There is only one story where you could say one of the main characters is a woman, and it's not in a positive light. Most of the stories do not include a female character at all, so you will always be following a man's perspective here. I guess you could say that Lovecraft wrote what he knew, and stuck with that formula, which he did with more aspects than just this one.
There is definitely a formulaic approach to his storytelling, and his last story in particular felt like an amalgamation of every story that came before it. Most of the time it didn't bother me, as the plot was interesting enough to make up for it, but I feel like I'll now be able to spot a Lovecraft story instantly.
Averaging all the ratings comes to a 3.62. This book started out so strong, so I'm really disappointed in those 2 stars at the end ! I rather enjoyed reading this though, and as far as short story collections go I'd say it's one of my favorites for now.
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
3.75
In the past I have only read several of H.P. Lovecraft's short stories, so it was nice to finally read an entire collection. These are presented in chronological order, with the last story being the final one Lovecraft ever wrote.
These are definitely gothic tales, but it was interesting to see how to storytelling changed from first person accounts to third person, and the genre definitely twisted more into sci-fi/cosmic horror. You can tell in these stories when Call of Cthulhu was written, as aspects of that mythos become ingrained in his stories. Because of this, I actually think I enjoyed his early works more.
The following are each story included in this collection, the year it was written (Not published), a one sentence summary, and my personal rating of the story.
These are definitely gothic tales, but it was interesting to see how to storytelling changed from first person accounts to third person, and the genre definitely twisted more into sci-fi/cosmic horror. You can tell in these stories when Call of Cthulhu was written, as aspects of that mythos become ingrained in his stories. Because of this, I actually think I enjoyed his early works more.
The following are each story included in this collection, the year it was written (Not published), a one sentence summary, and my personal rating of the story.
The Alchemist (1908) - A man, who is the last of his line, discovers that his family is impacted by a generational curse that began 600 years ago. 4 Stars
The Tomb (1917) - As a boy, Jervas stumbles upon an old tomb in the woods. He spends years trying to open it, but one day is seemingly guided by a spiritual force to the key in his attic. His decision to descend into the darkness will change the course of his life. 4.5 Stars
The Moon-Bog (1921) - A man laughs at the warnings about messing with the bog from the locals. 3.5 Stars
The Music of Erich Zann (1921) - A man who lives on the 5th floor of an apartment hears strange, frantic music coming from a room on the 6th floor. 4 Stars
The Outsider (1921) - An individual with no recollection of where they came from or who they are seeks out the light. 5 Stars
The Hound (1922) - Two men build a private collection of artifacts by graverobbing. After acquiring a certain jade piece they start to encounter unusual phenomena around their museum. 4.5 Stars
The Lurking Fear (1922) - A man is obsessed with what locals deem a haunted mansion. Whenever there is a lightning strike during a storm people tend to wind up dead. 3.5 Stars
The Festival (1923) - A man returns to his ancestral home to discover that something evil lies beneath. 3 Stars
The Shunned House (1924) - An abandoned house has a history of sucking the life out of those that live there. A man and his uncle, fueled by their curiosity, are determined to discover the house’s secret. 3 Stars
Cool Air (1926) - A man befriends a doctor who lives in the apartment above his, but this doctor has a strange condition where his room must always be kept cold. 4 stars
The Strange High House in the Mist (1926) - A philosopher climbs the cliffs above his town to get to a cottage that is steeped in local lore. 2 Stars
The Dreams in the Witch House (1932) - A man believes that mathematics may be the key to unlocking other dimensions. 4 Stars
The Haunter of the Dark (1935) - A man is fascinated with an abandoned church that holds a treasure trove of dark secrets. 2 Stars
As you can see none of my descriptions mention women. There is only one story where you could say one of the main characters is a woman, and it's not in a positive light. Most of the stories do not include a female character at all, so you will always be following a man's perspective here. I guess you could say that Lovecraft wrote what he knew, and stuck with that formula, which he did with more aspects than just this one.
There is definitely a formulaic approach to his storytelling, and his last story in particular felt like an amalgamation of every story that came before it. Most of the time it didn't bother me, as the plot was interesting enough to make up for it, but I feel like I'll now be able to spot a Lovecraft story instantly.
Averaging all the ratings comes to a 3.62. This book started out so strong, so I'm really disappointed in those 2 stars at the end ! I rather enjoyed reading this though, and as far as short story collections go I'd say it's one of my favorites for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Body horror, and Murder
Minor: Alcohol
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes by Eric LaRocca
dark
sad
medium-paced
3.0
Thank you so much to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC; it is greatly appreciated.
I was approved to read this halfway through the day, and it gets archived tomorrow, so I'm not sure why the publisher is still approving requests, as this gave me no time to read. I felt very rushed, so my reading experience was probably not the best because of this.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke - This went in a different direction than I was anticipating ! I read the last page several times, because I just could not believe that's how it was ending. I'm not sure how I feel about the portrayal of mental illness here though. Also, strong content warning for animal cruelty/death.
I did enjoy the format of telling this story through emails and IM messages. It made the story snappy, but man, I could not imagine entering a contract with someone that quickly. They really barely communicated with each other. Unless that wasn't supposed to be all their correspondance and I just missed that point.
The Enchantment - Honestly, I did not read this one. As I type this it's almost 10pm where I live, and the description of this story didn't appeal to me at all, so I'm not going to force myself to stay up to read it.
You'll Find It's Like That All Over - This started in a way that really had me hooked on wondering where it was going to go, but in the end I'm just left asking, "Why ?". I don't understand the purpose of this story, or anything it was trying to say.
Overall, this is an odd collection, but I'm sure fans will be happy that there is now another way to get their hands on Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.
I was approved to read this halfway through the day, and it gets archived tomorrow, so I'm not sure why the publisher is still approving requests, as this gave me no time to read. I felt very rushed, so my reading experience was probably not the best because of this.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke - This went in a different direction than I was anticipating ! I read the last page several times, because I just could not believe that's how it was ending. I'm not sure how I feel about the portrayal of mental illness here though. Also, strong content warning for animal cruelty/death.
I did enjoy the format of telling this story through emails and IM messages. It made the story snappy, but man, I could not imagine entering a contract with someone that quickly. They really barely communicated with each other. Unless that wasn't supposed to be all their correspondance and I just missed that point.
The Enchantment - Honestly, I did not read this one. As I type this it's almost 10pm where I live, and the description of this story didn't appeal to me at all, so I'm not going to force myself to stay up to read it.
You'll Find It's Like That All Over - This started in a way that really had me hooked on wondering where it was going to go, but in the end I'm just left asking, "Why ?". I don't understand the purpose of this story, or anything it was trying to say.
Overall, this is an odd collection, but I'm sure fans will be happy that there is now another way to get their hands on Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child death
Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schweblin
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
4.0
The two page story, Butterflies, had my jaw on the floor. TWO PAGES, and it is by far my favorite in this collection. There were several stories in here that I really just did not understand, but I found most of them to be quite good, and just straight up bizzare. This is definitely an author that I am going to keep my eye on for future releases !
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty